Don't Wait. The Clock is Ticking.

In my last post about “moments” I feel like I was super broad in my discussion. There is SO much I can say on the topic of time and I will be writing this as much for me as I am for you; it is a struggle making the most of my time and choosing priorities.

Therefore, in the next few posts I want to dig a little bit deeper into what I snapshotted into the post, They Only Come Once. If you did not have a chance to read that post yet, please do before diving into this one.

These next few weeks I will (tentatively) be writing more in depth explanations about the following topics below:  

• Embracing each moment you are in
• How to Embrace life
• Do not worry about tomorrow or the future
• What does investing really look like and how to I live intentionally?
• The power of words

So here it goes. . .

Don’t Wait. The Clock is Ticking.

Time… time, time, time. What is the first thing that pops into your head when you think of the word time? Something that is restricting. Something that gives you deadlines. Something to squander. Or a gift. Something precious. Something that is given to you each and every day should you choose to embrace it.

God has left us precious time on this earth as His people. Part of our duty is to be good stewards of that time. ↓↓↓

Many of us end up walking through life wanting time to go by so we can get to the place in life (in our opinion) that is the most exciting. We are waiting for that concert to come. Waiting until we can drive. Waiting until we can have that one pair of jeans, that one shirt or pair of shoes that will supposedly make our life perfectly happy again. Waiting for responsibility. Waiting until we can move out of the house or apartment we are in and to a new location. Waiting until our kids are out of the potty-training stage. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Never wait. Never waste time.

When we look back on those moment that we just waited, we will see them as selfish and meaningless minutes, days, or months. We wasted that time. We did nothing useful during that time besides want something that we could not have and did not have. And to make matters worse, sometimes the things that we were waiting for did not fulfill our expectations and we are often disappointed.

If we want to go through life living it to the fullest, we need to LIVE IN THE MOMENT. Not in the future and definitely not in the past. /// Side note— we all regret things we have done in the past, whether it be one small action or a whole previous lifestyle. Well, that was yesterday, that was the past. It’s gone. It happened. It’s not happening; therefore, do not dwell in it. Forgive and forget.

Hebrews 8:12, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (NIV)

God has forgiven you, do likewise./// Move on to the present. Wake up each morning with an attitude of joy, thankfulness and excitement. You have been given another glorious day to live. Another day to walk through and treasure each moment as it comes. They may not all be perfect but that’s life for ya.

The best you can do is simply GIVE LIFE YOUR ALL. Let every breath you take be filled with passion. Christ wants you to put your whole heart into whatever task, person, or idea He has placed in your way.

1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (NIV)

Embracing the moment involves passion not apathy. Its Christ living and dwelling inside of you and filling you up with Himself so that you can bring Him glory in whatever you are doing.

Stop waiting. Stop wasting this precious gift that is ultimately slipping away from you. Devote yourself to the present. Even in a situation that you might be feeling a little downcast by, do not let it get the best of you. Make the most of every situation God has placed you in because it is a treasure that if it is not uncovered soon, it may never be.

"Be a moment embracer not a time waster." (Btw, I very terribly and non-artistically drew this)

P.S. PLEASE share your thought and comments about this post in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think about it!!!

They Only Come Once

As humans, we have a tendency to want what we don't have. Or we are always looking forward instead of looking down at our feet as to where we are at and what we are doing in that very moment. Sometimes I have to remind myself more than once to be thankful for today, even if it does not seem to be the best day I have had, and focus on making the most of the moment I am in.

 

Even just the other day when I was at World's of Fun with my family (having a blast btw), I had to remind myself to enjoy the moment and take in the each minute of the passing day as it came. I found myself looking onto the next day, kind of dreading it because it would be another start to a week of school, work and the business of life. What I decided to do was make the most of the precious hours I had left spending quality, fun time with my family, not looking ahead to tomorrow.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/446349013045557428/



I love this quote because it challenges me to get the most out of a day.

 

Each moment you take a breath is precious. But once that moment is gone, it can never be retrieved. Every word, action and expression can never be taken back once it leaves.

 

Time can never reverse.

 

Therefore, invest. Spend time building, rebuilding and strengthening relationships with the people you care about, or with those you feel God has laid on your heart to pursue.

 

Christ has given you another day to live in His beautiful world for a reason, don't miss that. He has given you more moments to further His kingdom. Think about how you can serve someone for Christ today since He has given you the ability and resources to do so.

 

One day you will wake up and regret never taking the time to really invest in the people around you-- the ones specifically placed in you life for a reason; because you were preoccupied with selfish interests. Please, please do not spend all your free time in a corner playing XBox or scrolling through meaningless news feed on your phone (yes we have all done it before and I am guilty of it as well).

 

Romans 14:12, "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." (NASAB)

 

Therefore, Be intentional in everything. Take the time to do something worthwhile-- something that at the end of the day you can look back and smile upon. At the end of a day, you never want to look back and see that you did nothing for someone else. You did nothing unselfishly. Nothing giving of yourself. Nothing sacrificial. Nothing that will matter the next day. Ultimately, it does not matter how many hours you spend on social media. Usually, its a waste of time.

 

Instead of putting yourself in front of a screen, pick someone you know and send them an encouraging note or meet up with them to talk about life. The things you can do for someone else is limitless. There is a good chance someone around you is hurting. While you may not feel perfect yourself-- that's ok. If you are waiting for the perfect moment to be a good person or friend to someone, trust me, it will never come. ACT NOW.

 

You only have so much allotted time on this earth. You want it to have purpose and meaning and you do not want to throw it away by wasted moments, heedless decisions or comments.  

 

Matthew 12: 36-37, "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (NASAB)

 

Talks. Conversations. Words. The tongue is such a powerful part of you. In one minute you can make someone's day by saying a kind word or tear them apart by a negative comment. Think before acting. Be a encourager not a destroyer.  

 

Every moment that passes you either lost something or gained it. Be constantly gaining, not for your own interests but for Christ. Trust Him in His plan and live life to the fullest.

 

1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the GLORY of God." (NASAB)
 

Blessings During the Storm

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/446349013046773128/

 

I kept asking God why? Why now? How in the world could we have gone through that much work and in 20 minutes our 11 hours of labor was literally washed away, completely destroyed. I was feeling sick to my stomach and trying to fight away the headache that had been nagging at me all day while I was in the heat.

I was walking upstairs completely drenched in muddy water, exhausted, burnt, and on the verge of tears when I somehow remembered James 1:2-4 which says:

          “Consider it all joy brethren when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing
           of your faith produces endurance.” (NASAB)

How can I find joy in this situation? Putting a 24’ round pool in the ground is not an easy task. We had it 90% completed when a downpour came with about 6” of water and hail and crazy winds that destroyed literally everything. Yes, it is a trial, but finding joy? I’m havin a hard time with that.

I was leaning on my sister’s bunk bed with these thoughts were bouncing around in my head. I picked up my phone and cleared all the apps off. I glanced at my screensaver and it caught my eyes.

~ Train yourself to find the blessing in everything ~

Bang. That hit me upside the head. I still wanted to ask God WHY, WHY, WHY in the world did this happen to our pool, but I was then able to realize that instead of having a crappy attitude and cursing or being angry at God for this I need to thank Him for what I do have.

Do I NEED a pool? No. It would be nice to have but it’s not a necessity. Will we have one eventually, yes so I’m thanking the Lord that we will be able to reconstruct it. It was a fairly dangerous project. It is a BLESSING that none of us were injured in the process. I am blessed that we are not in a drought. We have rain. I am sure there are several places and people around the world who would give their right arm to have the rain we just had. Furthermore, I am blessed to have wonderful, healthy siblings and parents who are able to put a pool in by ourselves. These are just an example of a few things that came to my mind. The list can go on and on.

I do not know all the plans of the Lord (I hope our pool fits in there somewhere). But I do know that He give us trials so we will rely on Him for our strength.

Psalms 55:22 says, "Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you;" (NASAB)

If life was easy 24/7 we would be proud people who didn’t know they had a need for a savior. Instead, Christ gives us struggles to make us more like Himself.

I hope you realize that whatever trials you are experiencing now Christ wants you to call out to Him in faith. He is your rock. Rely on your rock, not some dirt and sand like that which we used for our pool. It can be washed away in seconds. However, Christ will never leave you once you put your life in His hands.

And wherever you are in life ALWAYS remember to be thankful. God created you, a beautiful person and He has given you so much. It may not be everything you wanted but you are blessed.